KONOHAMARU SHIPPUDEN

The Sarutobi training grounds, were Konohamaru stood in the center, his jacket tied around his waist, a determined glint in his eyes.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, stretching his limbs. Time to see how far I've come."

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Though he joked and played the carefree kid around others, this training ground was where Konohamaru shed his playful facade. The secluded training ground had become his personal sanctuary, a place where he could train freely without the prying eyes of the village. Only his grandfather, the Third Hokage, might have glimpsed his progress, occasionally peeking through his crystal ball.

Konohamaru began by pulling out a small scroll from his pouch, laying it flat on a nearby rock. The intricate lines of ink swirled across the parchment, forming complex seals. He unsealed a kunai, watching as it materialized in a puff of smoke.

"Basic sealing, check," he said, placing the kunai back on the scroll.

Next, he prepared a paper bomb. He carefully painted the explosive seal with a fine-tipped brush, his strokes precise and deliberate. Once complete, he activated the seal, watching the paper glow faintly before returning to its inert state.

"Still got it," he said with a grin

But it was the Four Limbs Weighting Seal that he was most proud of.

Konohamaru adjusted the prayer beads wrapped around his wrists and ankles. They glowed faintly, their once-white color now a deep, vibrant red.

"Four Limbs Weighting Seal," he murmured, tracing the intricate patterns on the beads. "Still can't push past maximum weight, but this'll do for now."

He thought back to when he'd first discovered the technique. It had been buried in an old scroll in the Sarutobi clan library, a relic left untouched for years. The technique fascinated him instantly—a method to simulate extreme physical training by exponentially increasing the weight of the limbs.

"It was a nightmare at first," Konohamaru recalled aloud, chuckling. "Could barely move without falling on my face. Took weeks just to walk normally."

But now, the beads felt like an extension of his body. He'd trained tirelessly, pushing the limits of his endurance. The weight had gone from unbearable to challenging to manageable.

Taking a deep breath, he crouched low, focusing his chakra. With a sharp exhale, he released the seal.

The prayer beads turned white, and an almost audible whoosh of energy surged through his body as the weight disappeared. Konohamaru shot forward, faster than the eye could follow, his tail flicking behind him.

He stopped abruptly in front of a large tree, rearing back his leg.

"Let's see how far I've come," he muttered.

He kicked the tree with all his strength. The bark splintered instantly, a deep crack reverberating through the wood. A moment later, the entire tree tilted and fell, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, rustling nearby leaves and scattering birds into the sky.

Konohamaru whistled, brushing imaginary dust off his hands. "That's what I'm talking about."

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Satisfied with his demonstration, Konohamaru reached into his pouch and pulled out a handful of senbon needles. He held them up to the light, their tips gleaming faintly.

"Alright, let's see if you guys still work as planned," he said, smirking.

Channeling a small amount of chakra into the senbon, Konohamaru tossed them into the air. The needles spun rapidly before transforming mid-flight. In a puff of smoke, they became life-sized copies of Konohamaru, each one standing at attention like soldiers.

'These guys aren't like shadow clones,' Konohamaru said, circling his creations. 'They don't pop with a single hit. Takes a blow to a vital spot to bring them down. And…'

He flicked a kunai at one of the clones. The blade struck its shoulder, but the clone remained standing, the kunai lodged in its body. 'Way tougher than your average clone.'

The clone pulled the kunai out, handing it back to Konohamaru with a mechanical precision.

'And the best part?' Konohamaru grinned, picking up one of the clones' arms. It shimmered briefly, reverting back to a senbon. He held the needle in his hand, closing his eyes.

A rush of images flooded his mind—snippets of everything the clone had seen and experienced while active. It was as if he'd lived through the clone's perspective, each memory crystal clear.

"Memory upload," he murmured, opening his eyes. "Definitely cool. Makes spying way easier."

The clones weren't perfect. They lacked the autonomy of his previous creations, but their ability to relay information directly to his mind made them invaluable for reconnaissance and battle.

He tossed the senbon back into the air, transforming it again. The clone landed smoothly, ready for further instructions.

"Alright, troops," Konohamaru said, addressing the clones. "You've got one job—try to take me down. Don't hold back."

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The clones nodded in unison.

The clones attacked simultaneously, moving with coordinated precision. One lunged at Konohamaru's left side, while another circled behind him. A third clone threw a barrage of shuriken, forcing him to retreat.

Konohamaru ducked under the first punch, his tail snapping out to trip the nearest clone. He twisted mid-air to avoid the shuriken, landing gracefully on a low-hanging branch.

"Not bad," he said, grinning.

The clones regrouped, adjusting their strategy. One clone leapt into the air, aiming a kick at Konohamaru's perch. At the same time, another clone threw a smoke bomb, obscuring his vision.

"Smart," Konohamaru muttered, his ears twitching as he listened for movement. He leapt from the branch just as the kick connected, narrowly avoiding the impact.

He landed on the ground, immediately rolling to avoid a kunai aimed at his back.

"Alright, that's enough," Konohamaru said, holding up a hand. The clones froze in place, awaiting his next command.

He stepped forward, tapping one on the forehead. It shimmered and reverted to a senbon.

"Still got a few kinks to work out," Konohamaru said, collecting the senbon. "But you guys are definitely getting smarter."

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Konohamaru sat on a rock, his tail flicking idly behind him. He stared at Moon, his mind racing with ideas.

"I've got the speed," he muttered. "The agility, the strength, the clones, the basic fuinjutsu… but ninjutsu's still my weak point."

He clenched his fists, frustration flickering across his face. Despite his progress, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still lacking something.

"I've still got a long way to go," he said softly. "But I'm getting there."

Somewhere, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he watched his grandson through the crystal ball.

"Impressive as always," Hiruzen murmured, his voice filled with pride.